Islamabad, Feb 18: Ruling out government take-over of madarsas in Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf today issued an impassioned appeal to people to help the administration identify disruptive elements in some of these places. ``There are madarsas and mosques from where Pakistan, government and me are targeted for abuses,`` General Musharraf said while addressing Islamic scholars. Wide-ranging support from Pakistanis was a must to isolate these elements in the larger interest of the country, he added.
Gen Musharraf said he had the highest regard for madarsas and he was the only person who, at the United Nations, had termed the madarsas as the best NGO. It was a wrong impression that the government wanted to take over the madarsas as it was not possible for it to accommodate and educate lakhs of children studying in these, he said. Calling upon the 14 crore Pakistanis to put a moderate face and follow the middle path, the president said by following the policies of the present regime, Pakistan could be transformed into a progressive and dynamic country.
Bureau Report